Officials from the United States, Canada and Mexico will wrap up the sixth of seven planned rounds of talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement in Montreal on Monday, with little sign of agreement on the toughest U.S. proposals to overhaul the $1.2-trillion pact.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange gained 1.87 points to 892.67

All 12 TSX subgroups were lower in the first hour of trading, as health-care dawdled 1.8%, utilities plummeted 1.1%, and telecoms were off 0.8%.

ON WALLSTREET

U.S. stocks opened lower on Monday as a jump in sovereign interest rates gave investors pause.

The S&P 500 slumped 10.17 points to 2,862.70, with energy and telecommunications as the worst-performing sectors.

The NASDAQ fell 24.32 points to 7,481.45

Equities were also boosted last week by stronger-than-expected quarterly results from major companies. Thus far, the corporate earnings season has been strong. Of the S&P 500 companies that have reported as of Monday morning, 78% have reported surpassed bottom-line expectations, while 77% have beaten revenue estimates

Boeing, McDonald's, Apple, Chevron, and Facebook are among the companies scheduled to report later this week.

Elsewhere in corporate news, K-Cup maker Keurig announced it will buy Dr Pepper Snapple. Keurig said Snapple shareholders will receive $103.75 per share in a special cash dividend and keep 13 percent of the new company. Dr Pepper Snapple jumped 29% on Monday.